Bethel Park’s Westphal is multitalented
Basketball standout is also a reporter
Bethel Park has been dominant early on, winning six consecutive games to begin the season. To get the scoop, we spoke with the school newspaper’s Black Hawks beat writer. She is quite a reliable source, because she’s also the team’s top player.
That’s right. By day Liv Westphal is a mild-mannered reporter, but by night she dons her uniform and becomes a superstar player for Bethel Park.
Westphal is averaging 15 points, 2.5 steals and 2.2 assists per game. This junior guard has been in the starting lineup since her freshman year and was named third-team all-state as a sophomore. She also writes up the girls basketball games and is a social media editor for the Hawk Eye student newspaper.
“It can be a little weird,” Westphal said of covering her own team. “But when I asked for quotes from people, it’s always from teammates. It’s never my quotes.”
The talk about Westphal is she will most likely be a Division I player somewhere. She already has 13 offers, including Duquesne. Westphal said she has yet to whittle down a list of top schools.
“There’s almost never a game where we don’t have someone come into the stands to see her,” said Bethel Park coach Jonna Burke. “There’s usually more than one.”
Westphal, a three-year starter, has a quick shot and a host of other attributes that have caught the attention of college programs.
“I think schools are looking at her for the fact that she’s an all-around player,” said Burke. “And she’s the focal point of most defensive game plans. She has to work for everything she gets.”
The Black Hawks, ranked No. 2 in Class 6A, have dominated outside of a 43-42 win against Upper St. Clair. They average 55.8 points per game while allowing 40.7.
Chartiers Valley
The Colts are champions once again. After rolling to a perfect 30-0 record with WPIAL and PIAA titles last season, Chartiers Valley won its first six games of this season, including three wins at the KSA Classic in Orlando, Fla. The Colts won their bracket with victories over tough competition. In
Saturday’s final, they socked it to Argyle, 40-35. The Texas program has won it all in the Longhorn State’s third-largest classification five years running. Aislin Malcolm (16 points), Megan McConnell (11) and Perri Page (10) led the way for Chartiers Valley.
Greensburg Salem
Abby Mankins had a game to remember Dec. 16 when she knocked down all 16 of her free-throw attempts and finished with a game high 28 points in a 6346 triumph against Burrell. Mankins may have been perfect from the line, but it was not the greatest performance from the charity stripe in school history. That belongs to Laura Klimchock, who went 29-for-34 in a game against Connellsville back in 2003. At the time, that was the most free throws made in a game in state history and the second-most nationally. Mankins, who is only a sophomore, is the latest in a long line of terrific guards to play for the Golden Lions. Klimchock, Danielle, Dawson, Anne Olesky, Claire Oberdorf and Megan Kallock all played in the 2000s and each scored more than 1,000 career points.